


Strawberry Forest

by soonyoungforever



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Chan is hyper, Gay, Hybrids, Jeonghan and Seungcheol are parent goals, Jun's cold-hearted, M/M, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Swearing, Vampires, kpop, minghao is a anxious lil child, slight blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 13:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11532828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soonyoungforever/pseuds/soonyoungforever
Summary: What if the creatures you thought were just in fun little stories...were actually real?





	1. Prologue

Stay away from those woods. The name sounds friendly and joyful, but, you should never judge a book by its cover. Or, for this matter, a hell by its name.

It's not a place you want to travel through. Creatures roam those areas. Ones that no person wants to lay eyes on. The place is filled to the brim with blood devouring 'things'. They could kill you in an instant.

So precious children, unless if you're asking for a death wish, do not enter the **Strawberry Forest**.

 


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy decided to take a walk through the forest...what could go wrong?

Mystery-like-creatures are common throughout the world. Every country and or state has their own unique story to tell about them. From bigfoots to giant human-eating creatures, people had created tales to make people question the world and its living beings. But, what they didn't know was that maybe, just maybe, some of these made up beings...were actually real.

Not many people really explore the world's regions. Only about half of the world has been inspected, and many places could possibly hold some unexplainable things.

There is one place though, that holds many peculiar things in its wide forests, rivers, and lakes. A small town in the smack-dab center of South Korea was known for strange activity. Several people have been told that some go missing and some are said to be murdered by an unknown force. Townsmen have chatted about seeing newcomers with paler skin and different colored eyes. Tales and rumors of 'unusual' people have said things about them being monsters, looking for new prey, draped in blaring layers of darker clothes. These folks have been seen in the most shaded and unvisited places. Always staying hidden, they're sometimes forgotten, until the next time they appear. However, it has been years since they have last came to the town.

That was, though, until that very day, when a somewhat humble boy named Xu Minghao decided to talk a walk. A walk to the forest.

Of course, tales were told to smaller children to stay clear of the forests in their miniature town. Story after story of the "Strawberry Forest" has been passed down from families, telling about the weird things that lurked behind those standing trees. Many believed these tales and listened to the ones that told them but some thought of them to be fake; only for the town to not go to the unexplored places. And, one of those people decided it would have been a great idea to take a peaceful stroll through the overgrown forest.

It was a cold Saturday, but just warm enough that you didn't need a jacket. The sun was up high casting its blinding rays onto the land while a subtle breeze passed by. Birds sang and roamed through the park as people walked through. Not many people were out in the local park, probably too busy with friends and family.

As the day passed, no one seemed the notice the young boy Minghao walking down one of the closed down paths. Since the myths were believed by some of the higher ruling people, they had made a rule for all people to stay off of the paths closest to the forest.

As Minghao sneakily made it around the black and yellow post without being seen, he rushed towards a small entering in the line of trees. His curly golden brown hair swayed back as he ran forward, trying to get out of sight and into the secret place before he was spotted. With wearing his bright yellow sweater it really didn't help, it could be seen very easily through the thin brush that surrounded him. Pushing through the bushes that blocked the opening he crawled into the forest. Although, as he did this, something made his leg jerk backward when he tried to stand up. With whatever he was stuck on, it made him slip, hitting his stomach on the hard patch of dirt. Turning his head to look at what he was caught in, he spotted the damage.

A small pricker bush was tangled on the pant leg of his dark skinny jeans. As quickly as he could he tugged at the bush, trying not to hurt himself while pulling his leg free. As his leg lifted out from the small trap, it pulled at his pants, tearing the dirtied fabric off. He didn't really mind the damage to his jeans, but, he was only a little bit concerned about his cut leg. Red liquid slowly gushed down his knee, Minghao could feel the warm substance on his leg but he brushed it off, proceeding in getting back up.

Using his hands to boost up his body, he pushed himself up. Minghao turned his head, looking left and right. After only a few seconds, his eyes landed on something; a path.

A tiny grin grew on his face as he dashed towards it, forgetting about the slight pain that shot through his leg. Dashing down the thin path, jumping over fallen branches and sliding around tight turns, he safely made it deeper into the area of trees. Minghao's mind was only focused on getting to where he needs to be that he never heard the quiet sound of another pair of feet running through the forest. The boy's heart began to beat uncontrollably as he came to a halt, stopping dead in his tracks once he came upon the clearing.

The pain in his leg faded as so did his spirit as he smiled to himself from the scene. Dark red roses mixed with pale white ones filled the small space around the trees. Light from the sun emitted through the open portions of the tree branches high above, making portions of the land glow. Minghao's eyes, though, only caught one thing out of the bunch. High up in between two trees was a plank of wood, creating a shelter and under that rested a small flat rock. The boy carefully made his way over to the stone, taking small steps as he did. His small smile never leaving his face as he glanced down at the writing carved on the tomb.

Minghao knew it was silly for him to visit the grave of a stranger's dead pet but he had found peace there. He grew to like the area. The calm breeze and eerie sounds that echoed through the plants around him always made him calm. He didn't know why; these types of things would have probably scared anyone, but, nothing in this area made him frightened. Even when he once came across a wild squirrel and it tried to attack him, he never flinched or ran away. He fought it right back. Minghao did end up winning with the animal running away but he never once looked back and worry about anything else that could attack.

As careful as he could be, he made his way down, taking a seat under the left tree. Cooling shade covered him as he rested his head on the bark of the towering plant. Too lost in his own calming aura, Minghao never felt his eyelids close bit by bit. His mind was foggy, only letting in a few spots of vision, his body drifting off into a slumber.

Dark lights and figures moved back and forth, some carrying blurred objects while others stayed put. Some of them were even looking like they were staring deep at him. The boy finally came back to life when the closest figure opened his eyes. A piercing red glow filled his sight from within the strange dream. It seemed to wake his brain, making his closed eyes pop open. Minghao's breathing picked up as his heart started beating wildly once again.

It was just a dream, He told himself. It wasn't real.

_Or was it?_

The curly haired boy's eyes wandered over the area, looking to see if anything was there. Nothing but the original ground and plants littered the space. No new additions. While his eyes landed on a single red rose next to the entering path, a load snap yelled through the open field. The boy's eyes widened, quickly looking around to find where the sound came from. Minghao never thought this would ever happen, but he was scared. He knew something small couldn't have made a loud enough sound. He knew it was something big. And he didn't want to know what it was.

Only seconds after the first, another cracking sound was made. Now, it had come from his right, only it seems closer. Way closer than before. Panic and fear rushed through his blood. He turned his gaze over to place the sound was heard from. Minghao's heart was beating faster and faster, it was as if he ran miles on end without stopping and it was a painful feeling. However, the pain rushed away as he planted his eyes on the spot where the sound was made. Minghao's breath hitched, it seemed to disappear once he looked at the dark shade in between the trees.

Those similar looking beat-red eyes were there, glowing brighter than ever. Minghao steadily lifted his shaking body up off the ground. Now standing straight, he was able to slowly back away. One foot after the other he carefully stepped further back away from the creature. Minghao made sure to keep his eye on the gleaming red ones that stared back. He had kept a good pace, the creature in the trees never moved from its spot.

_**Crack!** _

A loud snapping blared through the area. Minghao looked down. Right under his foot was a broken twig. Silently cursing himself for not looking where he was stepping, a low-voiced growl snapped him back to the current situation. His eyes widened and his head raised up hastily. Looking back at where the red-eyed creature was, he now became petrified. Instead of the deep red eyes staring at him through the trees, it was now a red-eyed beast. And not just any beast, it was a tiger.

Minghao couldn't believe his eyes. A tiger! While he was still in his shocked state, he never noticed the animal coming closer and closer to him. What is a tiger doing here in these woods? Inch by inch the tiger approached the mesmerized Minghao. 

The rushing thoughts that flew through his brain were cut off as he heard the threatening growl from the animal only a few feet away. Before he could even move a muscle, the animal crouched down and leaped up into the air. Watching with terror-filled eyes, the animal opened his jaws. Almost instantly, a blur covered his vision and the creature disappeared. 

In only a matter of seconds, he felt himself being lifted off of the ground and into a pair of strong arms. However, before he could look to see what was exactly happening, everything around him soon become black. His sight was darkening until nothing could be seen. When he was almost deep into the black abyss, he heard a soothing, calm voice whisper in his ear: "This is for your own good."


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao is welcomed to a new face. Who could it be?

Black mist surrounded the lost Minghao. His eyes searched left and right repeatedly, trying to find a way out. He tried to lift up his legs, only to find out that his limbs seemed to be knee deep in a type of goo. Minghao attempted to shout, but, his voice let out no sound. He tried again, only now his throat began to sting. He wanted to cry, his eyes watered and his sight went blurry. No tears fell.

It was if he was inside of a nightmare. He didn't know if he was dreaming or if this was the reality he was faced with. Minghao looked around again, only he still saw the deadly black fog that filled every corner. After what felt like hours of him just standing there panicking, a quiet sound echoed through his ears. Minghao scanned the area, nothing coming to view. The sound continued to dance through the air, getting louder ever-so-slightly with each passing second.

Almost immediately, the noise was blaring around him. He tried to block out the piercing sound by bringing his hands to ears. It only made it ten times louder. Minghao wanted to cry, he wanted to go back home to his small, rundown apartment. But, he couldn't. No matter what he did, he couldn't set himself free, his legs were stuck there in the goo. This left him with no other choice, so, he did the only thing he could do. Minghao dropped to the ground, landing flat on his back, hands outstretched.

As his body made contact with the floor, he didn't feel anything. It was as if his body was numb. All Minghao could feel was the pull that the ground seemed to have. Minghao's body sank farther and farther into the strange substance. The boy's breathing became shaky, but he didn't fight to get back up. He squeezed his eyes shut out of reflex. The only thing he could feel was the coldness of the goo that he was sinking in. All sound was blocked out, only an annoying ringing was heard through his ears. The coldness touched his cheeks and it slowly crept up to his eyes.

However, as the substance was about to reach his eyes and mouth, he felt the coldness suddenly slid off of his skin. Minghao felt his body hit a sudden breeze, causing his body to tremble. He dared to not open his eyes, too afraid of what could have lifted his body out of the goo. Minghao sucked in a deep breath as something strong wrapped around his waist.

His eyes shot open at the unexpected warmth. Minghao looked around, the room was covered by black walls. Red curtains hung over a few windows blocking out all the light. The room was dark but he was able to see the outline of the furniture. All the objects had the same beating red and black colors. A black leather chair was placed in a shadowed corner. In front of him was a burnt red wardrobe while a small bookcase was placed beside it. As Minghao's eyes wandered around the area, he never noticed the position he was in. But, when he turned his head to the far right, his eyes enlarged. There, right next to him, was a boy. And this man, had his arms wrapped tightly around Minghao's waist.

Minghao screamed, quickly tearing his body out of the stranger's arms. Crawling to the very end of the bed that they were both on, he never took his eyes off the other.

The stranger had calm but strong features. He had a sharp jawline and piercing dark chocolate colored eyes. It was as if he was staring right into your soul. His hair was parted to the side, shining a bright but shadowy tannish brown. Pale white skin contrasted with the choice of a plain black and white sweater with a pair of navy ripped skinny jeans. The stranger moved his position so his legs draped over the side of the velvet, ruby bed as he leaned back using his hands to hold himself up.

Minghao was shocked by the sudden encounter. The other took this as a chance to stand up. The brown haired stranger fixed his eyes on the frightened boy in front of him, letting out a deep sigh. Minghao watched the standing man's movements carefully, trying to see if he might attack. His guard was up and he was intending not to let it drop. Though, a somewhat familiar voice flew through Minghao's ears.

"My name is Wen Junhui, but you may call me Jun. This will be your room for now on, so get comfy here, you're not gonna leave for a long time. There are newly ironed clothes in that wardrobe over in the corner," This 'Jun' mumbled in a monotone, pointing to the wardrobe the clothes was in. 

"The bathroom is just down the hall, the last door on your left. Dinner will be made at 19:00, if you're not down there by that time, then no dinner for you." Junhui glared at the boy still on the bed. 

"You can do really whatever you want, just stay aware of the other people here and watch your back. Stay out of dark rooms. If you ever need me just call out my name and I'll be there," With his last words being said, he walked calmly out of the room, but, he stopped short before he shut the door. "Oh and yeah, lunch will be done soon, so you better hurry up and come down." With that, he slammed the door closed, making the whole room shake.

"What did I just get myself into..." Minghao whispered to himself. 


	4. Chapter 3 ||Part 1||

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was that sound?

Silence filled the large room after the strange encounter with Jun. Minghao really didn't know what to do. It was as if his body was frozen. He couldn't move from the spot on the bed. Although his body was in a state of daze, his thoughts were wide awake, buzzing with millions of things. All of the words that Junhui said played over and over again in his mind.

 _"This will be your room for now on, so get comfy here, you're not gonna leave for a long time..."_   

He was stuck here, in this-  _house_. Even though it seemed like a stable place, it didn't feel it. A weird aura was stuck in the air of this place and he wanted it so badly to disappear.

_"-stay aware of the other people here, and watch your back. Stay out of dark rooms. If you ever need me just call out my name and I'll be there..."_

Stay away from other people? Stay away from dark places? Watch your back? Minghao couldn't wrap his finger around what those words meant. The words themselves sounded, kind of, what's the word? Queer, that's it.

As Minghao's mind wandered farther into the void of unexplainable thoughts, an unfamiliar noise started to fly into his ears. Snapping quickly back to life, Minghao swiftly looked towards the room's door. Stomping and mumbled sounds could clearly be heard from outside of the room. Panic suddenly burst through Minghao's insides as the noises started to become louder.

The sound, it was getting closer and closer and closer. But suddenly; it stopped.

Many emotions clouded Minghao that it seemed to become suffocating. His breath shortened and his heart pounded in his ears. Silence filled the room, only little sounds of creaking could be heard from outside the bedroom. Minghao moved somewhat, trying to slowly stand up for the first time since he had awoken in this place.

His body became tense as he got to his feet. Stretching his body made his muscles crack and soothe under the pressure he was feeling. Minghao carefully made his way towards the door. When his feet started moving, no sound could be heard as he stealthily made his way across the hardwood floors. After years of sneaking around places, he learned how to keep quiet.

Minghao walked over to the door, his guard up. He was ready to attack if he needed too. When he successfully got to the exit of the room, he raised his hand up cautiously to the handle. Fingers wrapped around the cold metal, a small shiver crawl up his skin. Minghao turned the handle, pushing somewhat, opening the door just a smidge.

His eyes caught sight of really nothing. From what his eyes could pick up, he noticed many other dark wood doors lining the walls of the long hallway. There were barely any windows, only two, but they had a thick, red curtain covering them both. A value of different sized paintings lined the tanned walls. He didn't know who made them but he could tell they were old.

Pushing the door more, he was able to fully look down the open hallway. Minghao looked to his right and to his left, no person or thing was spotted anywhere down the hall. It actually seemed lonely and deserted. No sound filled the corridor, even when Minghao stepped out of the cramped room. When his body was fully out from the doorway and both of his feet hit the carpet of the hall, a loud creaking sound was heard on his left. His head snapped quickly over to where the sound was coming from but nothing was there.

His heart picked up its pace once again, his breathing going back to being uneasy. Minghao's head felt dizzy and clouded, he was beginning to have one of his panic attacks. He was freaking out, scared of what was happening. Numbness spread through his body, his heart and lungs were the only things that he could feel. Minghao placed his hand where his heart was and felt its heavy pounding. 

He tried to calm himself down, trying some breathing techniques he had learned. His breathing, though, didn't seem to slow down in the slightest, only now, it was picking up its pace. He could hear the thumping from his heart in his ears, almost like an echo. Black specks covered his vision. One by one, each dot blocked his sight. However, when the dots almost covered his vision, he heard that familiar voice go through his ears once again.

"Why is it always me that saves you?" the voice mumbled quite loudly. Before Minghao had a chance to answer the stranger, everything went black.


	5. Chapter 3 ||Part 2||

Jun didn't want to be put into this situation. But, here he was, sitting on the old worn out chair next to the bed, watching the passed out Chinese boy once again.

His eyes were set on the sleeping boy, checking out his looks. Jun never did get to really examine the boy when he first saved the curly haired boy's ass. A bright ugly yellow sweater laid loosely on the boy's thin body. Jun despised the color yellow, he disliked that sweater already. The boy's skinny jeans were full of dirt and his knee was shredded. You can see the pale flesh of the boy's skin through the large gash in the pants. As Jun inspected the tear more closely, his breath cut short.

Tempting, dark red liquid was still freshly sliding down the boy's knee. The cut itself was small but it still created a mess of the sticky, red substance. Without knowing, Junhui licked his bottom lip. He stared at the cut like it was the most delicious thing in the world. Jun could feel his hunger rising as he stared deeply at the blood running down the porcelain skin. Something sharp bit down on his lip, but he didn't feel it. He didn't even know that his fangs had come out, only until he came back to his senses when the boy suddenly shivered.

Quickly averting his gaze from the cut, Jun looked back up at the face of the boy. With his eyelashes fluttering, the boy opened his brown eyes slowly. Blinking repeatedly, the boy suddenly jolted up. Junhui watched the boy panic, seeing how the curly haired boy moved his head around, looking over the room. When the wandering eyes of the panicked boy landed on Jun, it was then that he moved, standing up so he was towering over the other. He could see the fear radiate from within the other's eyes when Jun started to carefully walk over to the side of the bed. Taking another long sigh, just like he did before, he looked down at the other boy.

"Why the fuck do you keep fainting? Also, why is it always me that has to save your little ass from passing out?" Jun rolled his eyes as he looked at the stunned boy in front of him. He watched the boy as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "Well?"

The other boy seemed to come back to life as he started to move around, trying to get comfortable. With the human now looking into Jun's eyes, he started to finally think of something to say. All that Junhui got from that, though, was an unexpected mumble of the words 'sorry' and 'It won't happen again, I hope'. Jun didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't expecting this answer. It was like the boy was scared of him; he probably was.

"Well, um, did you need anything? I can get my mother to get you some water?" Jun asked, not really knowing what to ask the boy. He watched as the human thought for a second, until he spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Ah, sure-sure."

While nodding firmly, Jun promptly hurried out of the room and into the hallway. However, he suddenly stopped short. He remembered something that he forgot to do. So, turning around he knocked hard on the wooden door. Moments later, a small quiet 'come in' was heard from the other side. Grabbing the doorknob at a fast pace, he swung the door open. The boy was still sitting on the bed, only now, he was facing towards him.

"I forgot to ask you something, what's your name?" Jun asked.

The other seemed surprised once again, as it took him awhile to answer. But when he did, his voice came out a little bit louder than earlier. "M-Minghao, Xu Minghao," the boy whispered, but Junhui heard it clearly.

"Okay, thanks, Minghao. I'll bring your water up soon." Before Minghao could utter a reply, Jun slammed the door shut.

He walked down the corridor casually, hands stuffed in his jean pockets. Two of his brothers weren't home, so, the house was pretty quiet, except for the small noises of his parents and youngest brother Chan, who was probably playing in his room. Chan had decided to stay at home for the night. Junhui, as well, wanted to spend his day at home but something had seemed off outside. So, he ended up running out into the woods, finding Minghao frozen in front of a tiger hybrid.  _Idiot._

Making his way downstairs, he walked into the kitchen. His 'mother' and father normally spent their time in there, either talking about their life or taking care of their kids. As he went through the entrance, his eyes landed on his father who was reading one of his novels with his reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose. On the other side of the room, his 'mother' was standing in front of the stove with his hair pulled up in a low ponytail. Neither of them noticed their oldest son enter the room, too busy doing their own thing. It wasn't until Jun was halfway into the room that his father noticed a new presence.

"Oh, Junhui! What is it?" His father finally looked up, taking his eyes off of the pages of the book. Closing the novel shut, making sure that he placed a bookmark in between the pages, he took off his reading glasses. His 'mother' had looked over his shoulder, still continuing to finish his cooking while listening to the conversation.

"Oh, you know the boy that I brought here?" Jun spoke. Both of his parents nodded carelessly. Taking that as his answer, he continued. "Well, so he ended up passing out again once he stepped out of the bedroom door. I found him almost about to faint," he finished, his voice laced in monotone.

When Junhui finished his explanation, both of his parents stopped their actions and stared at him blankly. Their eyes seemed to pierce through Jun after he closed his mouth. Looking from his 'mother' to his father, he suddenly realized why they were staring at him like he had just killed someone.

"He's awake, don't worry! And, he's perfectly fine, he's just bleeding on his knee." They again looked at him, asking him with their eyes if he had done something wrong. "I didn't do anything to him!" he shouted. 

"As I was saying, he just scraped his knee, not that big of a scratch but its still bleeding pretty good. The boy said his name was Minghao and I just came down here to get him some water! Maybe even a bandage or two!" Understanding that Jun didn't do anything to the boy, they nodded their heads again, not bothering to use words to answer.

"Seungcheol, get the water and bandages for the poor boy. I would do it if I could, but I can't at the moment," Jun's 'mother' ordered to his husband. 

Without uttering back, Seungcheol, Jun's father, put down the book and sped-walked over to the fridge. Seungcheol pulled out a small bottle of water. He tossed the plastic bottle over to the Jun. Seungcheol also grabbed a bandage from the cabinet, throwing it to Jun as well. Catching the objects easily, he thanked his parents. As he started to turn around to exit the room, someone called out to him. "Junhui, don't do anything to the poor boy! If you do, I won't be happy!" his mother shouted out.

"Jeonghan, babe, don't be hard on him. Trust him that he won't do anything bad. Right, Junhui? You won't do anything to harm the boy, Minghao, you said?" Seungcheol required, walking over to his husband and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"I'll take care of him and I won't do anything to him, mother," Jun grumbled, not really in the mood to answer his parents. Not paying that much attention to Jun, they softly nodded their heads, answering the boy. Taking that sign has he could now leave, he quickly exited the kitchen.

He quietly made his way to Minghao's new bedroom, walking with fast strides. But, when he hit the very last doorway, Minghao's room, he suddenly stopped short. A loud squeaking sound rang in his ears and he glanced at the door. Raising an eyebrow, he carefully placed his ear to the door. At first, he heard nothing but silence, but, all of a sudden, he heard a loud thump. The sound was quick, startling Junhui. He immediately pulled his ear away, knocking on the door vigorously.

Shuffling could be heard as the person in the room moved about. After only a few seconds, the door instantly opened wide. However, when he looked through the opening, he saw someone that was not a small Chinese boy. 


	6. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brotherly love, yes?

"Chan? Why are you in Minghao's room?" Looking up at his brother, a sudden confused look passed onto Chan's face. After only a short flash of uncertainty, a smirk grew. Jun watched as the grin increased its size, confusion now arriving on his face. But, before he could start to think of the many things, Chan began to talk.

"Why do you care?" Chan teased. With only those few words, Jun automatically knew what Chan was doing. Rolling his eyes, he let out a quiet groan.

"I asked you first," Junhui spat back, using a little harsher tone than what his younger brother used.

Chan's smirk only grew larger when Jun used his comeback. He knew what his brother was going to say and he was ready for every single comeback that was going to be shot back at him. "I wanted to meet our new roommate! Is that so bad?" The younger smiled, his voice in an awfully innocent tone.

Why are you acting so innocent! Innocent my ass! Jun scoffed as he listened to his brother trying to pester him. It wasn't working in the slightest. All it did was make him even more irritated.

Chan smiled to himself as he watched his brother become even more enraged. To be honest, Chan loved making his brother furious, it brought some type of hyper-brotherly-happiness to him. "Is it not okay to get to know our new friend, Junnie? He is going to be staying here for awhile and it's good for him to know the people in the house," the younger continued, "You don't want him to be confused and frightened when meeting the others. So, is it really that bad that I introduce myself?"

Even though Junhui was ticked off at his brother, he did kind of have to agree with him. It wouldn't have been good if Minghao wasn't warned ahead of time about his other brothers and friends. Letting out one more long, annoyed grunt, he slowly let out a mumbled: you're right.

Chan could only let out a proud huff and smile when he said that. Jun had to admit that it indeed looked creepy coming from his brother, but, he would never say that out loud. He may be a brat sometimes, yet, all in all, he wasn't mean just- hesitant, you could say. Jun had his reasons, he always had some type of reason.

"I've had enough of your games. Now, if you would kindly move your ass out of the way, I need to see our guest." Before Chan could make a remark, Jun swiftly grabbed his brother's wrist and yanked him out of the doorway. Placing himself where Chan was, he smirked softly. "Thank you for your cooperation, I appreciate it," Jun thanked his brother, voice full of sarcasm and bitterness.

As Chan stared wide-eyed at his oldest brother, Jun slammed the door shut, leaving his brother outside the door in utter bewilderment. When the door was finally closed, Junhui pounded his head on the wooden door. Letting out a long sigh, he closed his eyes, hand now clenching the plastic water bottle that was in his hand.

"Oh, Chan, I'll so kick your ass later. Just you wait!" he muttered to himself. 


	7. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the family at lunch, why is it so terrifying?

Minghao seriously had no clue on what just happened. At one moment, someone named 'Chan' had suddenly popped out from nowhere. Then, at the next second, Jun came in and totally shut Chan out. It was a pretty awkward meeting for Minghao and Chan, but there was no need for him to be shoved out and into the hall!

 

Silence filled the large room after Jun had left. Coldness seeped into the walls only seconds after the door was shut and the weird aura seemed to disappear. Slowly sliding off of the bed, he breathed. The red velvet bed was extremely comfortable but Minghao had, no,  _needed_ to get up. Stretching his arms and legs his body ached and cracked causing loud snapping sounds to echo in the room. Quietly, he tiptoed over to the side of the area. Minghao's eyes wandered over the place, taking in all of its dark and mysterious beauty.

Blackish walls lined the bedroom. They seemed to somehow turn lighter in color and more welcoming than before. Minghao delicately placed the tips of his fingers on the bedside table, tracing each and every smooth curve in the wood. In the middle of the tabletop, a large vase full of bloodshot, red roses shone in the dim lighting.

With a slow pace, Minghao made his way over towards one of the corners. A small, thick shadow gazed over the object sitting in that corner. The leather of the black chair glanced with a little glow of gold. Moving his hand over to the shadowed seat, he placed his fingers on the fabric. Surprisingly, the leather felt soft. The normal, rough, slick feeling was replaced with a warm, cozy, silky texture. Turning his body so he faced the other way, his eyes landed on the large wardrobe. Its wood was colored a dark sangria while the drawers knobs were a charcoal gray. Opening one of the drawers on the far left, he peeked inside.

Fresh new clothes were folded perfectly and placed in neat piles. Next, Minghao slid the door of the wardrobe open and inspected the huge space. Casual shirts, suits, wife beaters, printed tees, dress shirts, you name it, were hanging in color order. From red all the way to black, from pinks to blues. A rainbow formed, one from every single color made possible.

Closing the door carefully, he looked beside it. A short, modern black bookcase rested there. Bending down so he was leveled with the books, Minghao skimmed the titles of some of the old and new books.  _To Kill A Mockingbird, The Man In The High Castle, Hamlet, In The Woods, The Fault In Our Stars, Demian_  and much more lined the cramped shelf. As Minghao was looking through the second shelf of books, he didn't hear the sudden creak of the door opening.  

"Hello there, roommate!" a squeaky voice cheered.

Startled by the new presence, Minghao jumped, falling back. Turning around to get a look at the person who just shouted, he tried to calm his thumping heart. When his eyes landed on the new-comer, his body seemed to calm itself down. A friendly atmosphere flew around the smaller boy that stood over him. Still keeping his guard up, just in case, he slowly started to stand up.

"Oh, let me help you!" the stranger offered. The boy held out his hand in a friendly and caring way. No evil or bad laced in his actions or words.

Nodding his head slightly, Minghao took ahold of the boy's hand. His hand was surprisingly warm and soft, barely dry or rough. Using the help from the stranger, Minghao was able to easily stand back up. Still a little bit cautious, Minghao backed up a few inches. 

The boy wore a thin gray sweater with a red colored plaid shirt underneath it. His hair was dyed a dark brown with a lighter tone mixed in. It was kind of the color of a peanut. It was styled in an up-do with strands of hair going this way and that. Even though it was somewhat messy, it did hold a type of fashionable feel to it. The stranger had on a tight pair of navy blue skinny jeans, almost like Minghao's only just not as ripped. Tied around his feet was a loose pair of red converse highs that seemed to be slightly brand new because of its fresh, bright color. His inspection, however, was broken by the sound of the boy's friendly voice.

"The names Lee Chan! But, you can call me Chan or Channie if you want! What's your name, roomie?" Chan explained with his loud and cheerful voice.

"Xu Minghao," He mumbled in a soft voice.

"Aww! Your voice is so cute!" Chan cooed in a squeaky voice. However, before Chan could finish his little fanboy moment, a loud knocking blared through the room causing Minghao to jolt. Rushing to the door Chan opened it, staring up at the one and only Junhui.

 

That's how Minghao and Jun ended up here, with the taller smashing his head in the door and the other huddled in the corner. Minghao watched as Junhui mumbled to himself, hitting his head repeatedly on the wood. Slowly moving forward towards the other, Minghao quietly skidded to the door where the other was. When he made it behind Jun successfully without the other noticing, Minghao slowly rose his hand up and lightly tapped the boy's shoulder. From the slight touch, Junhui twisted around at full speed, making the younger flinch. Awkward, cold quietness filled the tension between the two as they looked at each other. Both not really knowing what to say.

"A-ah, Is that my-my water?" He whispered in a soft and shaky voice, not really fond of the weird aura roaming around them. Jun seemed to snap back to life as his straight face thinned out more and his features hardened. The other raised up his hand, practically punching Minghao with the bottle as he passed it over. Not wasting a second, Minghao bowed a sharp ninety degrees and let out a tiny: 'thank you, Junhui'.

"I told you before and I'm not going to say it again. You can call me Jun. You're making me feel old when you call me that," Jun grumbled, seeming to not be in the mood to talk. Before Minghao could give out his apologies, someone's voice traveled through the walls. Startled by the voice, Minghao jumped, dropping the bottle and falling into Jun. Catching Minghao in his arms quickly before they both fell to the floor, Jun listened to the shouted message from downstairs.

"Lunch is ready!" An angelic voice ordered.

Looking into Jun's eyes after the voice shouted, light heat grew to his cheeks. Their position wasn't the best, it was embarrassing and uncomfortable you could say. Junhui's arms were wrapped securely around Minghao's waist, just like when Minghao first woke up. Jun's back was leaning against the door as he balanced their bodies, trying not to fall or drop Minghao. The shorter's arms were gently placed on top of the other's chest as he tried to bring himself back up into a standing position. Their eyes, however, never seemed to break contact. It was if they were both staring deep into each other's soul.

"Jun and the other one! Get your butts down here before the food gets cold!" A different voiced yelled, one that was deeper than the other.

That seemed to wake them both up from the strange daze they were trapped in. Pulling himself up all the way, Minghao backed up slightly and lowered his head. A bright blush was growing on his cheeks and he didn't want the other to see.

As for Jun, he stood up straighter and patted down his outfit, dusting off the nonexistent dirt on his sweater. Making a loud coughing sound, Jun tried to destroy the tension. However, it only seemed to grow as Minghao shifted. Both were drowning in the thick atmosphere as they just stood there. Coughing one more time, Jun finally made the step to break the silence.

"We-we should get to lunch now, we don't w-want to keep the others waiting," Junhui maintained, trying not to stutter his words. Jun had never, in his whole entire life, stuttered. This was different and he did not like it at all.

Nodding his head, Minghao agreed, not daring to use his words. He was too afraid that he would only embarrass himself more than he had already.

"Wait, I forgot!" Jun pulled something out of his jean pocket. A bandage. Minghao tilted his head, his cheeks still dusted with a pink tint. "Your knee." Minghao breathed, his leg was cut; he had forgotten.

Jun kneeled down, pushing away the piece of fabric that covered the injury. Using his teeth to open the bandage, he placed it on the bleeding cut. Minghao grinned. "Thank you, Jun." Jun just stood back up, shrugging.

"Let's get going now." Jun twisted the knob and opened the door. Walking out, he spared one last glance at the blushing boy and dashed down the stairs.

Not knowing how to get to the dining room, Minghao rushed down after him. Speed walking down the long staircase, he noticed how the colors of the walls changed. The hallways walls were a light but powering beige, but, as he made his way down the walls transformed into a light daffodil color. Reaching the end of the stairs, Minghao was face to face with the grandness of the kitchen.

It wasn't big but it wasn't small. The walls were that shining yellow while the floor was a nice marble tile. Kitchen tools lined the walls and counters, a small black table sat in the corner with chairs surrounding it. Six seats in total, he counted.

Jun took a turn through a sizeable opening in the wall. The smaller followed Jun like a lost puppy, not really knowing where he was heading too. As he passed the door, however, his eyes widened. A modern dining room was shown in front of him. A long black table was placed in the middle and an artistic chandelier hung above the center of the table. Black and white colored chairs lined the sides of the table, surely over ten seats were placed there. Only some of the places to sit were taken.

Chan sat towards the middle in between two other people Minghao didn't recognize. They looked as if they were the parents from the way they were acting. Also, the matching marriage rings on both if their ring fingers gave the answer out right away. In front of Chan sat a taller boy, surely taller than all of them in the room. His hair was a dark chestnut and his features were sharp. To the right of him was a boy way smaller than the rest. A bright, fairy pink blob of hair contrasted with his pale white skin. When Minghao made it fully into the room, all eyes turned to him. Feeling like he was in the spotlight, he quickly bowed and introduced himself.

"Hello. My name is, Xu Minghao. You may just call me Minghao for short," he introduced, trying to keep a collected and calm state. He slowly stood back up, fiddling with the end of his sweater sleeve.

When he looked up, though, all the eyes of the people in the room stared deep at him. When Minghao was about to freak out from being stared intensely at, the room burst into a fit of laughter. Still watching the family as they laughed, Minghao stayed frozen in his spot.

"Oh sweetie, there's no need to be so formal with us! I'm Jeonghan by the way! Let me introduce you to our family! The tall one here is Mingyu." Mingyu waved slightly, a large smile ghosting over his face. "The one beside Mingyu, that's Jihoon." Giving a little head nod to Minghao, Jihoon smiled only a tiny bit. "And this is Chan, the youngest!" Chan waved to Minghao even though they already met before. Minghao smiled as a hello back to the younger. "Last but not least, this is my husband, Seungcheol." Jeonghan ended after Seungcheol gave out a quick hello.

"You already probably know Junhui, so you can just take a seat. Lunch will be served shortly," Seungcheol instructed in a kind of fatherly way.

Minghao was the last to sit as Jun had already taken a seat next to Seungcheol. So, pulling out the chair next to Mingyu, he sat down and placed his hands in his lap. To be honest, his nervousness level was higher than ever. He felt almost like he belonged there but at the same time not. The only person Minghao 'got along with' was Chan. Jun didn't really count, it was just awkward being around him. Chan was easier to be with and hang around with. All in all, though, it was like he was left out like one of those destroyed cookies in a cookie box.

But of course, stuff was going to happen. Good and bad. He felt it coming. He could sense it.  _He knew it._


	8. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drying dishes, doesn't seem so bad...

Jun couldn't help himself, but something in him just made him so attracted to the little Chinese boy. When the dinner was served, all he could do was look at Minghao once they all started eating. To be honest, it was adorable to watch Minghao eat. Every time he would stuff food into his mouth, his cheeks would puff out almost like a chipmunk's. Smiling only a little bit to himself as he watched the sight, he quickly turned his attention back to his food. At the moment, lunch was quite loud as questions would get fired at Minghao every now and then.

"Minghao, are you dating anyone?" Chan asked, practically leaning over the table so he could hear Minghao's answer.

This seemed to strike both Jun and Minghao. Minghao started to have a coughing fit while Junhui looked up towards the boy choking in front of him. After a few seconds of Mingyu trying to calm down the coughing Minghao, he was finally able to answer the question.

"I-I haven't date-dated anyone yet," Minghao mumbled but everyone could clearly hear him. Everyone could see that the boy was freaking out, his cheeks were a bright pink as his eyes couldn't stay put. Jun for some reason calmed down after those words left the others mouth, he didn't know why he just did.

Still watching the boy, Jun finished eating. Excusing himself from the table, he took his empty plate and left to the kitchen. Putting the dirty plate into the sink, he suddenly heard soft footsteps coming his way. Briefly looking over his shoulder, he caught sight of a shining yellow. Right away, Jun knew who it was.

"What do you want?" Jun called out, still facing the sink as he turned it on. A quiet squeak sounded throughout the room, making Jun once again peek over his right shoulder. Closer than before, the other was standing there as still as possible. Letting out an annoyed groan, he turned off the sink and turned around, facing the frozen boy.  "What is it that you want?" Jun repeated, now gazing into the other's eyes.

His eyes were incredibly pretty and Jun felt his body tense. Still not taking his sight away from the other's eyes, he walked closer to Minghao. Getting as close as possible to the boy, he looked down at the other, still keeping his eyes trained on the others. Minghao also looked up at Jun, coming slowly back to life. When Minghao finally made it back to Earth, his eyes widened slightly at the position they were in. However, he never backed away. Taking a deep breath, Jun asked one last time. "What do you want?"

With ragged breathing, Minghao looked down at his hands. Jun followed his gaze. When his eyes saw what the other was holding, he understood what the other wanted. Taking the plates from Minghao's hands, he hastily turned around and placed the plates in the sink. Turning the faucet back on, he grabbed one of the dirty plates and he began to wash it.

Minghao, on the other hand, stood there with his mind racing. So many emotions flooded his body and mind that he didn't have time to progress what he was even doing.

Confusion, along with an unknown feeling came to him in a flash. Not moving from his spot, he just watched Jun as he washed the dishes. Minghao observed as the boy seemed to put so much into his work but barely give any feeling of what he was doing. With each gentle stroke he made, he made sure every part of it was clean before he put it on the drying rack.

Seeing an opportunity to help, Minghao slowly walked over to the first dish towel he saw. "Don't use that one. Here, use this towel," A voice suddenly spoke up.

Before he could say anything, Minghao saw a towel being thrown at him. Catching it before it hit him, he carefully made his way to the drying rack. Standing next to Jun, he looked over at the other. His face was focused on working as he washed the dish he held. Averting his gaze away from the taller, he picked up one of the fancy plates. He started to dry the dinnerware as Jun worked beside him.

Jun glanced at the silent boy next to him. His mind was whirling. He had never let anyone help him with things, he always would do everything himself. Why was he letting this stranger work alongside him? Junhui didn't know. 

Hastily getting back to work, he finished cleaning the very last dish. Giving it to Minghao after he rinsed it, he turned off the faucet and dried off his hands with a spare cloth. Looking over at the shorter Chinese boy, Jun grinned as Minghao dried the final plate.

Placing the towel down after he put the tableware away, Minghao felt like he was being watched. Slowly, he turned his head so he could glance behind him. Empty space filled the area, no one was there. Not even Junhui. Where did he go?

Only the furniture of the room stood there is loneliness. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, he walked over to the dining room. Glancing through the doorway, he looked around, trying to find someone to give him directions to the bedroom he was first in when he had arrived.

His eyes scanned the area, landing on the younger of the four brothers. Coming out from behind the wall of the entranceway, he made his move towards Chan. Minghao tapped the tip of Chan's shoulder softly. Almost instantly, like Chan knew he was approaching, he turned around. A smile grew on Chan's face immediately when he saw Minghao there.

"What is it, Minghao? You need anything?" Minghao looked down at his feet, taking a deep, silent breath. He tried to settle his nervous voice.

"Um- I-I kind of- need someone to show me the way to the bedroom I was in before," Minghao replied, cursing himself for stuttering at the beginning. Chan nodded his head. Taking Minghao's wrist gently, he dragged Minghao back upstairs.

Minghao tensed when Chan grabbed his wrist but he began to relax once he knew he was going to be perfectly fine. Rushing down the upstairs corridor, Chan pulled Minghao past many of the same colored doors. A sudden halt made Minghao crash into the back of the younger. Looking over Chan's shoulder, he saw the familiar door.  

"Thank you, Chan!" he bowed showing his thanks to the younger.

"There's no need to bow and you're welcome, it's what any friend would do for another friend!" A large smile was fixed on Minghao's face as he heard the word 'friend' roll out off of Chan's tongue. Minghao didn't have really any friends. Unless if you counted the numerous cats and dogs of the town he lived in.

Nodding his head as if he were saying that he understood, Minghao waved goodbye and entered the bedroom. A sudden wave of tiredness fell over him after he closed the door. Shuffling over to the wardrobe, he pulled out a fresh pair of clothes to sleep in. Picking a simple t-shirt and shorts, he sluggishly got dressed. Taking off the dirty sweater and jeans, he slid on the new clothes. They fit his body perfectly. They were still pretty baggy but they still hugged his frame well. It was exactly the way he liked it.

Trudging to the velvet bed, he tugged the covers down. Getting onto the bed he wrapped himself in the thick blankets like a cocoon. Minghao shut his eyes, letting the heat surround his body. Almost right away, he let the peacefulness of sleep take over. And just like that, he was dead asleep.


	9. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden surprise left only from strange thoughts of the night.

The bright glow of the full moon casted a thin light onto the area around the curly haired boy. The sound of chirping bugs was the only thing heard as Minghao rested against the tree next to the small grave. With closed eyes, Minghao let out a calmed breath. Moving his hands from his sides, he crossed his arms over his chest. Entering a peaceful state, his mind drifted off into its own world. All of his worries, fears, and problems disappeared in a matter of seconds. Before he could finally lull himself into slumber, a loud crunching sound blared through his ears. Snapping awake, he quickly stood.

Memories of last time he was put into a situation flew through his mind. From that weird encounter with that tiger to the sudden black-out, it all came back to him.

Looking everywhere, nothing could be seen. Only the familiar surroundings of the forest were there to surround him. Taking a long, deep sigh, he tried to calm his pounding heart. When his heart finally began to calm down, another snap yelled through the trees. The only thing now, was that it seemed even close to him than before. Turning left and right, forward and backward, he looked between the trees. Nothing was there, but he could feel that something was off.

Still standing, Minghao kept his guard up, ready to defend himself. He may have looked weak but he could pack a good punch to the face. Giving one last look around the small area of flowers, he carefully began to take a seat.

"Whatcha doing?" A voice suddenly breathed into Minghao's right ear. Not knowing who the hell spoke, he swiftly stood up straight in front of the tree. Before he could turn his head to look at who was talking, an unexpected warm heat wrapped itself around his abdomen.

Instantly, his mind became jumbled up. He felt weird emotions come to his body in only seconds. Minghao somehow seemed fairly protected and safe in the strange warmness. Without thinking correctly, his body snuggled more into the heat. Placing his arms on top of the thing wrapped around his waist, he grabbed onto it lightly. He could feel the texture of a soft fleece. Moving his hands further across, he could feel the bumps of the fingers holding one of his hands. He knew who it was and yet he never tried to pull away. Letting the cozy feeling settle around his body, he rested against the person's chest.

"Whatcha doin' out here at this time of night? You know it's not safe." Chills erupted through his bones as the hot air of the other's breath hit Minghao's ear.

"I know it's not safe. I just really wanted to visit this place again. It's been awhile, Jun," Minghao breathed. Silence once again filled the area for a few minutes. Only the small sounds of the night surrounded them. Shifting around a bit, Minghao turned around, now facing the other.

Jun looked down into the younger's eyes and Minghao smiled. They just stood there, letting time pass as they stared mindlessly at each other.

"You have pretty eyes. You know that?" Jun giggled as he saw the rising blush on the other's face. Letting a small smile rest on his face, Jun leaned down towards Minghao. However, when only a few inches were spared between their lips, Jun stopped short. "Can I kiss you?"

Minghao was, to be honest, totally in shock. He might have looked calm and sorts on the outside but deep down inside he was a total mess. His heart was beating faster than ever. His breathing became unsteady as he continued to look into Jun's eyes. He stayed silent, never breaking eye contact. Taking Minghao's quietness as a no, Jun started to slowly back away.

But, what he didn't expect to happen was for Minghao to grab the back of his neck, pulling him back down, their lips once again inches away from each other. "You-you can kiss me," Minghao muttered with a hesitant voice. Jun could sense Minghao's nervousness. Not breaking eye contact, Jun carefully closed the distance between them.

Minghao's eyes widened from the sudden feeling of Jun's lips on his. Still, he slowly closed his eyes along with Junhui, now kissing back.

Strawberries, vanilla and a sweet taste of candy lingered between the kiss. The combination of flavors created a more intense heat as Jun traced his tongue again Minghao's lips. The younger happily let the other have access, groaning when their tongues touched. Jun smirked, placing his hands on the other's back, sliding them ever-so-slightly to his hips. Minghao sighed in pleasure, biting Junhui's bottom lip. Threading his fingers through the elder's dark colored hair, Minghao let himself melt into the other's hold.

Breaking the kiss, Jun trailed his lips down, kissing his jawline. Making his way down to the other's neck at a moderate pace, he smiled wide. Opening his mouth wide, Jun placed his sharp fangs on the side of Minghao's neck. Deep and airy cries filled Jun's ears as he did this. Sinking his teeth into the skin, he sucked up the dripping blood. Licking the blood off of the side of his lips, he quickly placed his fangs on another part of the younger's neck. He continued to repeat the action, leaving bite marks all over the fair, pale skin.

Jun listened attentively to the deadly groans of the younger, moving his tongue over one of the many bleeding bite marks. Minghao trembled in his hold. However, when Jun was almost about to tear off Minghao's shirt in one quick move, everything went pitch black.

 

Minghao's body quickly flew forward, eyes adjusting to the dark light. When his eyes finally could see around him, he looked at where he was. The all-too-familiar blackness of the bedroom walls surrounded him.

Putting his hand on his neck he felt around. He felt only his skin. Jumping out of the bed, he ran up to the first mirror he could find. Looking at his reflection, he turned his head so he could take a look at his neck. Nothing was there.

Letting out a shaky breath, Minghao pulled at his messed up, curly hair. "It was only a dream. Nothing happened. Plus, vampires don't exist."

He couldn't help but blush at the thought of Junhui's lips on his. Minghao wondered what Jun's lips would feel like against his. Before his thoughts could get out of hand, Minghao quickly rushed to his phone that was on the table. Checking the time, he saw it was some time past midnight. "This is just great," he laughed to himself.

Letting out a long sigh, he fell onto the cozy fabric of the bed. Closing his eyes, he rested there, trying to calm his mind from thinking about what was going to happen to him later on. 


	10. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kiss to remember...

Minghao couldn't lie. His morning absolutely  _sucked_.

It all started with him not being able to fall back asleep and that's not even the worst part. Deciding that it would be a great idea to run to the kitchen to grab himself some water, he had no clue on what he was going to run into.

 

As Minghao made his way out of his room and down the stairs noiselessly, he pushed himself into the kitchen. The lights of the room were off, so, shuffling around the room he tried to find the light switch. Failing horribly, Minghao shrugged his shoulders and just continued to make his way to the fridge. Finding it surprisingly fast, he opened the metal door and grabbed himself a bottle of freshly chilled water.

He closed the door with his hip while twisting the cap and taking a long swig of water. Letting out a relaxed sigh when he felt the cold water hit his throat, he closed the cap and started to turn around so he could head back up.

"What are you doing, being up at this time?" that bold, low voice gawped. Startling Minghao a little, he almost dropped the bottle. Catching the pitcher in his hands before it fell to the ground, he looked at the other. Junhui's face looked worn out and kind of distraught. The elder's clothes were also battered and wrinkled. He probably just woke up,Minghao thought.

"I-I was just getting a drink, I woke up a little early this morning," he mumbled, loud enough so Junhui could hear. Giving a slight nod, Jun pulled out a chair from the small table full of books and sat down.

The older took one of the books and casually opened it to a fresh page. Minghao watched as the other flipped through the pages slowly.  _Eighth Grade Bites,_  the title read.

He must like reading vampire books, Minghao noticed. Making his way to the table himself, Minghao took a seat in the chair at the other end. Jun peeked at him, averting his eyes once Minghao peered back at him.

For the first time since Minghao arrived, an unflustered atmosphere surrounded them both. Jun, though, did shift around a little bit as he could feel the burning of his eyes on him.

Only the small sound of pages crinkling was heard, other than that, it was still. Minghao from time to time would look up at the other, watching how the male was reading. Hours had probably already passed by then but neither moved to leave. It was surprisingly peaceful for Minghao to be around Jun. Nothing, though, changed as time went by. Junhui's hardened features still rested on his face but his movements seemed to be less aggressive and more composed. Looking up at the elder, Minghao stood up.

"What's the book about?" Walking over to Jun, he bent down so he could see the fresh, white pages. Skimming over some of the words, he nodded his head.

 _"John opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late for lies. The man bit down. Fangs popped through John's skin, cutting deep into his neck..."_   The book sounded interesting. He wasn't really a fan of vampire books but he couldn't lie; this one appeared enthralling.

"Oh, it's just about a vampire that goes through high school and stuff. He tries to hide his secret, however, he's being hunted by a vampire killer. This is only the beginning, so, nothing really is happening." Nodding his head to show he understood, Minghao looked over to Jun who never took his eyes off of the chapter.

He studied the features he never saw before. Like the way, Junhui bit his bottom lip while he concentrated on reading the words on the page or the way each of his features stuck out in the most elegant way possible. Peering down from Junhui's eyes, he traced the lines of his nose to his lips. Stopping his stare, his eyes lingered on the other's plump red lips.

Memories of the reasonably passionate kiss from his dream came back to him. He blushed slightly. Sudden thoughts of what Jun's lips might feel like flew through Minghao's brain once again. Without thinking, Minghao reached out and turned Junhui's head so he could face the other. Surprise and shock were shown tied to the other's strong features. Still not in the right mind, Minghao inched his face closer to Jun. Wasting no time, he locked their lips together.

Just like he had dreamed, Jun's lips had a hint of vanilla and strawberries on them. Absentmindedly, Minghao kissed harder. Junhui was still in a deep startled state, but, when the other started to move his lips, Jun couldn't help but do the same. Just like in the dream, Junhui lightly grabbed Minghao's back, drawing him down farther.

The younger's fingers wired through the other's hair as he groaned from the sudden feeling of hands on his hips. Minghao quickly snapped back to life at that feeling. Suddenly pushing the other away, Minghao separated their lips.

Covering his mouth, he finally pieced together what just occurred. "That was my first kiss-" Minghao's eyes enlarged and Junhui realized what they had done. "I-I'm so sorry, I'll just-just go now-now!"

"Hey! Wait!" Jun was cut off as Minghao sprinted out of the kitchen and up the stairs.  
  



	11. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao makes a huge decision. But, is it a good one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am finally back! Writing this story, it's difficult because I lost my train of thought of what was to happen. But, I'm going to try to write as much as I can. Heres a small, quick update just to give out what's next in Minghao's life and where it might take him.
> 
> Honestly, I rushed this and only worked on this late at night. (it's currently 12:42 am as of now). Hope you all enjoy! I'll update when I can!

Minghao gripped the bottom of his shirt, back pressed up against the back of his bedroom door. His face was flushed red and he tried to calm his breathing. He was dying inside and he felt like butterflies were released inside of him, fluttering around in his stomach. Throwing his head back, he groaned loudly.  _Why did I do that?_

"What am I going to do?" he muttered to himself. He walked over to his bed, taking a seat next to the side table where his phone was. Picking it up and turning it on, he sighed. He was already missing home and he just wanted to get out of this prison. Even though this household seemed to be a nice place, it was almost too surreal. The place itself was like a mansion. But, a mansion in the middle of the woods? The  _Strawberry Forest_  to be exact? The thought was just unappealing, it gave him terrified goosebumps.

He needed to escape this place. He planned to do it tomorrow morning and it was gonna happen fast. Before anyone was awake, he'd rush out of the door and leave. He froze for a second. 

How in the world would he find his way out of the woods? He didn't even know how deep he was in the forest, he could have been miles away from any civilization. Just the thought of that made Minghao tremble.

Would he even be able to see his home ever again? The aching feeling in his chest and heart began to crawl through his body and he held back from mourning. He had already missed the animals that would greet him every morning; he missed his dear neighbors who cooked him cookies every now and then; he missed the sky and the beautiful rain that fell to the ground every weekend. 

This house was to quiet, the place was eery. It was always too dark and musty, even though it was in better shape then what he was used to living in. His apartment was run down and dirty, the walls chipped and cracked. There was always some type of rodent lifeless in the bathroom.

Minghao pushed back his hair, the curls wrapping around his fingers. He stood up, walking over to the dresser. He opened it, grabbing a few pairs of clothing. Quickly changing into a thick, black sweater and leggings, he stuffed his phone into his back pocket. He was gonna run out now, he had decided. He should be able to make it out in a few minutes, he had predicted.

He planned to run through the front door of the house, which he had seen when he had entered the kitchen for dinner. After rushing through the door, he had decided to run straight ahead, in hope of finding a way out, placing piles of clothing to mark his path. Finding a bag thankfully in the closet, he stuffed a few random pieces of clothing into it.

He checked the room once again. He couldn't lie and say he wouldn't miss the room. It was remarkably clean and large, the bed was extremely comfortable and the room had smelled of cherries. He would also miss Chan most of all. Even though they hadn't talked for long (only a few hours, to be exact), Chan was the closest thing he had to a friend.

That thought almost held him back from leaving the house, however, he pushed that thought away immediately. His home was his main priority and he was desperate to get back to his old life. Tonight, he was officially running away.

 

Minghao had waited for a few in his room, hoping to hear footsteps wander upstairs or at least a signal that Junhui had run off to bed. However, there was nothing, not even a peep. Only the creaking of the house filled his ears as he stood by the door, the side of his face pressed against it.

Now was the time he had determined. If he were to wait any longer, he knew someone would most likely awake and head downstairs. With a hesitant grip, Minghao turned the door handle and pushed the door open gradually. The door had creaked open, the loud sound piercing his ears. He had to move quickly if he wanted to leave without any commotion. So, he pushed himself out of the door and into the hallway, sprinting as fast and quietly as possible. He didn't even bother to shut the door, in fear that he'd make noise and wake someone up.

Running down the stairs with soft steps, he drove himself into the kitchen and dining room. He only had a little to go, although, he stopped short. The front door, it was right there, right in front of him. Minghao had his back pressed against the wall, his eyes wide and breath held. He had seen movement at the small table. Junhui was still awake, roaming around the kitchen. The sounds of pages being flipped were audible, Jun must have stayed and continued to read.

Minghao, took a short breath, holding it once again as he held the bag close to his stomach, sliding against the wall by the stairway. He just had to make his way through the dining room and through the archway and he'd be there, in the living room. Taking one last quick breath, he walked a little bit faster. Within a few seconds, he had reached the destination.

The living room was huge, bigger than the bedroom he was placed in. Two black, leather sofas were placed around a good sized flat screen TV. Pictures filled the walls, he could tell that they were all of this family he was introduced too. He could see younger versions of Chan and Jun and Mingyu and some Jihoon. Many showcased precious memories and Minghao sensed a feeling of invasion as he glanced over the pictures as he slid by them. 

He stopped short, though, as his eyes landed on a single picture frame that sat across the fireplace railing. It was Seungcheol and Jeonghan, hands held tightly together as they watched a toddler-aged Chan walk around as a still fairly tall Mingyu kick a ball in the background. Jihoon was clearly on the floor, his pink hair a fluffy mop on his head. The pink must have been natural and not colored with a dye which Minghao found strange. However, what caught his eye was something more than the strange hair color Jihoon had. No, it was Junhui. The boy was sitting on the ground, watching Chan. His face was stone cold, but, something was clearly different; he was smiling.

Minghao observed it for a minute; he delicately picked it up. Junhui's smile was lopsided and toothy, a precious teenage smile, one that actually held life. What had happened to Jun to make him so grumpy all the time?

"I see you have interest in that photo?" Minghao almost shrieked when a voice whispered in his ear. He turned around, however, no one was there. "I see you're trying to leave?" the voice was familiar; he then realized, it was Jeonghan.

"Yes-Yes," Minghao whispered as quietly as possible. He knew that Jun was still awake and reading in the kitchen.

"Alright, I guess you may leave..." the voice once again whispered. Suddenly, he felt hands place themselves on his shoulders. Minghao jumped in fright. "It's only me," Jeonghan laughed under his breath. "I'm a spirit, I'm only hiding so Jun doesn't hear me, only you can right now."

"So," Minghao began, "I-I'm free to go-go?" he kept his voice hushed.

"Yes, Minghao. I feel bad for leaving you here, away from family and friends," Minghao winced internally. "I'm so sorry for not letting you leave before. So now, I will let you go. I just wish we got to know each other more."

"I-I-I mean you could visit me...sometime soon?" Minghao didn't know what he was saying, but the sound of Jeonghan's voice made him feel almost guilty.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, sure?" Minghao murmured. "I live out in town, by the gas station down the road, past the park and forest."

"Oh, I haven't been out in years!" Minghao could practically see the smile on Jeonghan's face. "I'll have to get everyone to join me-"

"No!" Minghao almost yelled out and he covered his mouth. "No, I mean."

"What? Why?"

"Just...not Jun-" Minghao felt bad for even saying that, but Jun was someone he was uncomfortable to be around.

"Oh, I'm sorry. But, Junhui, he's not at all a bad or scary person. At least, when you get to know him. He's very hesitant and fragile. Secretive, you could say." Minghao looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry for holding you back. I'll have to visit you later after you arrive home! I'll escort you out."

"Thank you," Minghao smiled widely. "Thank you, Jeonghan."

"Anytime, Minghao." Jeonghan had let go of him, he could feel as Jeonghan's presence left him to walk to the door. The elder had opened it quietly and it barely made a sound. "Just run straight ahead, when you reach a tall rock, turn left. You'll arrive at an opening, a grave between to trees."

"Wait- You...know that place?"

"We run a lot..." Jeonghan paused. "And that was also Junhui's spot. Practically lived there, he did. His best friend is buried there."

Minghao froze. So, all along, for the past five years, he's been staying at the grave site of  _Junhui's_  pet? Minghao felt shocked at the new information. He was probably never going back into this forest. Never again.

"Well, before daylight reaches, I'd get running. The sun is rising fast, quickly, you must go!" Jeonghan whisper yelled. Minghao nodded, stepping towards the exit.

This was it, he was finally gonna leave the house. He felt a wave of sadness rush over him abruptly. He'd never see this family again, he was never going to travel back into these woods. This was his goodbye and he wasn't even saying anything to anyone else other than Jeonghan. 

_Minghao knew what he was doing, but, was this really his best choice?_

"Thank you," Minghao whispered one last time after a few seconds. He looked out into the forest that shined under the setting moon. He smiled wide, glanced at the now appeared Jeonghan and dashed out of the door. He was now one with the mist-filled woods. 


End file.
